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What's On
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- What's On
5 new restaurants in Dubai you'll want to try this June
Written by: Lana Du 1 hour ago Dubai's always got something new cooking, and June is no exception. This month, there's an exciting lineup of new restaurants in Dubai to explore. From classic Greek dining to innovative Cantonese cuisine, here are 5 new restaurants in Dubai to check out this June. Click through the gallery 3 of 12 The iconic London-born Cantonese restaurant makes its Middle East debut at The Lana Promenade. Opulent, Art Deco glamour meets 1930s Shanghai. Think mirrored ceilings, stained glass, intricate wallpaper, and a moody, elegant cocktail bar. Offering: A refined take on Cantonese cuisine by Chef Li Zhenjun. Signature dishes include Xiao Long Bao, Sir David's Hot & Sour Soup, Whole Lobster with E-Fu Noodles, and the famous Beijing Duck, roasted in a custom oven and carved tableside. New Dubai exclusives include Foie Gras Cherries, Da Hong Pao Lamb Cutlets, and Honey-Glazed Beef Char Siu. Timings: Opening daily 12pm to 11pm Location: The Lana Promenade, Dorchester Collection, Marasi Bay Marina Contact: (0)4 295 7464. @chinatang_dubai The newest name at Pier 7, Elaia brings a laid-back take on Mediterranean dining with a menu made for sharing. Expect dishes like crispy zucchini, melitzanosalata, grilled octopus, and salt-baked red snapper, plus wood-fired pizzas and a solid wine list. Inside, the space is low-lit, warm, and spacious, with Marina views if you're sitting outside. Offering: Mediterranean sharing plates, seafood, wood-fired pizzas, fresh breads and dips, curated wines. Timings: Daily, 12pm to 1am Location: Elaia, Pier 7, Dubai Marina Contact: (0) 4 576 2389 . @elaiadubai Just launched on the upper floor of Bla Bla Dubai in JBR, Replay is a new karaoke lounge built for Dubai's summer nightlife. With seven private themed rooms, a main lounge with a DJ booth, and over 80,000 songs across 20+ languages, it's made for post-brunch hangouts, group celebrations, and special nights out. The menu features salmon tacos, dynamite shrimp, truffle pizza, and more. Offering: Private karaoke sessions are priced at Dhs45/hour (2+ hours) or Dhs55/hour (1-hour bookings). Timings: Open daily from 5pm to 3am Location: Replay, Bla Bla Dubai, JBR Contact: (0)4 584 4111. @replaydubai This June, Dubai gets two new spots that take dining and nightlife up a notch. Geisha is a Pan-Asian lounge with a live sushi bar and crafted cocktails. After 11PM, the vibe turns up with live bands and DJs. Just steps away inside the restaurant, Opal Room is a hidden speakeasy offering a low-key, intimate escape as the night unfolds. Opening June Location: 16th floor of Emirates Financial Towers in DIFC Culinara Social Dining is one of the newest arrivals on Dubai's culinary map. Set 100 metres above the city in The Link at One Zaabeel, this sky-high food hall brings together 12 of the region's most exciting chefs, homegrown concepts, and indie favourites, all under one roof, in a buzzing, beautifully designed spot. Timings: Open daily from 12pm to 11pm, Coffee and breakfast available daily from, 7am to 11pm. Location: The Link, One Zaabeel, 24th Floor. Contact: Images: Supplied/ Instagram > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Canada's first Din Tai Fung restaurant in Vancouver is worthy of the hype
Where: 1132 Alberni St., Vancouver When: Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Info: 778-508-6638 and It may be only the first week of full service, but Din Tai Fung in Vancouver is already operating like a well-oiled machine. Soft opened a few weeks prior to its May 5 grand opening date, the expansive eatery — 16,412 square feet and some 311 seats kind of expansive — the Taiwanese restaurant appears full steam ahead on operations. Located on the upstairs level of 1132 Alberni St., diners are greeted at a check-in desk for both reservations and walk-ins. Parties then receive a double-sided menu sheet and a red Din Tai Fung-branded pen while they wait to be seated by a host. Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Din Tai Fung (or DTF to foodie fans) offers a selection of appetizers, dumplings, noodles, wontons and more. 'Our menu is all about consistency, quality, and handcrafted excellence,' says Jessica Chao, VP of Brand Marketing of Din Tai Fung North America. 'DTF's culinary approach is all about harmony in flavours and spotlighting quality ingredients.' But it's the famous Xiao Long Bao that most people come to eat. Xiao Long Bao, or XLB to regulars, are plump soup dumplings made individually by hand. The steamed dumplings feature a thin wrapper of dough with a soupy filling featuring premium Kurobuta pork. Each dumpling is closed at the top with precise pleats. At Din Tai Fung, that approach features a 'signature Golden Ratio' and exactly 18 folds. 'Our Xiao Long Bao is the heart of Din Tai Fung and the perfect expression of precision and artistry,' says Chao. 'What makes them so special is the meticulous care that goes into every step.' Each Xiao Long Bao weighs in at 21 grams for a perfect balance of dough, filling and broth. 'It's an art and science process that takes months to master, and the result is a dumpling that's both beautiful and delicious every time — an experience that keeps guests coming back again and again,' Chao explains. Born in Taipei as a family‑run restaurant in 1958, the popular eatery has since expanded to include several locations including London, Dubai and New York. The new Vancouver restaurant is its first in Canada. Visiting during lunch service, the spacious restaurant was buzzing. Through the dining rooms and heated patio, few empty tables could be seen. And it didn't take long into our lunch service to understand why. This restaurant is seriously efficient. As parties arrived and departed around us, tables were bused and reset for the next guests almost instantly. Din Tai Fung is clearly a restaurant that can cater to busy business lunches, family outings and lingering Instagram foodies alike. Moments after sitting down, we were greeted by our smiling server who explained the paper ordering sheet we'd been given upon arrival. Laminated menu cards were also available for a more thorough description of each dish. After placing our order — Din Tai Fung's menu is meant to be shared, so dishes are served family style — the food arrived quickly. We started our meal with the Cucumber Salad appetizer ($9.50), which featured Persian cucumbers combined with fresh garlic and mild Fresno chili peppers. The cucumbers are tossed with sesame oil and a signature Din Tai Fung chili oil. Salty, crunchy, oily and with a slight hint of spice, it was a fresh start to the meal. A nearby table ordered the Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs, which looked like a deliciously sticky serving of sauce-covered meat. That'll be on the must-try appetizer list for next time. The famous Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao ($19.50 for 10) came next, arriving in a bamboo steamer basket. Towers of similar baskets could be seen travelling around the restaurant as eagerly awaiting diners received their fresh-from-the-kitchen soup dumplings, steamed buns and more. Sometimes, when you hear about a restaurant's best-known dish it fails to live up to its promise. That's not the case with these Xiao Long Bao. They are as good as anticipated, if not better. Warm and soft, the dumplings burst open with a gingery broth and savoury pork. The suggested soy sauce/vinegar mix, punctuated with a haystack bundle of thinly sliced ginger, was nice but by no means necessary, as the flavour of the Xiao Long Bao more than stand up alone. It required little stretch of the stomach to share the basket of 10 between two diners. Shifting to noodles next, we ordered the thin, housemade egg noodles with sesame sauce ($14). Arriving as a nest of soft, stringy noodles in a slippery signature chili oil, the tangle came topped with crushed roasted peanuts and sliced scallions. The creamy sesame sauce had a kick of spice that countered the oiliness. Next time, I'll try another noodle dish. The Chicken Spicy Wontons ($18 for 8) were slippery and saucy with a nice, subtle meaty flavour and a not-too-spicy heat. Delicious in their own right, it would be hard for any dumpling or wonton to follow the XLB. Our table fairly fought over the last pillowy XLB, opting to pack most of these wontons up to enjoy later. The restaurant offers a variety of vegan-friendly dishes including Vegan Spicy Wontons ($18 for 8), Vegan Buns ($11 for 2), and more. There's also a robust selection of greens such as Bok Choy with Scallion-infused Oil ($17) and String Beans with Garlic ($18). We skipped them this time around (more room for dumplings), but will try on a future visit. The drinks menu includes a range of milk teas, iced teas, honey lemonade and more (boba is optional) along with soft drinks and sparkling water. A selection of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and cocktails are also available. A top tip at Din Tai Fung is to save some room for dessert. The Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Long Bao ($12.50) is divine. For true chocolate fans, the dish sees a chocolate truffle wrapped in a thin skin of mochi. We followed the recommendation of our server and got the salted cream on the side 'It's my favourite!' she exclaimed. The pillowy pockets of warm chocolate burst in your mouth, and the sea salt cream dip added an extra, subtly salty richness. So very, very good. Aharris@
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Canada's first Din Tai Fung in Vancouver is worthy of the hype
Where: 1132 Alberni St., Vancouver When: Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Info: 778-508-6638 and It may be only the first week of full service, but Din Tai Fung in Vancouver is already operating like a well-oiled machine. Soft opened a few weeks prior to its May 5 grand opening date, the expansive eatery — 16,412 square feet and some 311 seats kind of expansive — the Taiwanese restaurant appears full steam ahead on operations. Located on the upstairs level of 1132 Alberni St., diners are greeted at a check-in desk for both reservations and walk-ins. Parties then receive a double-sided menu sheet and a red Din Tai Fung-branded pen while they wait to be seated by a host. Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Din Tai Fung (or DTF to foodie fans) offers a selection of appetizers, dumplings, noodles, wontons and more. 'Our menu is all about consistency, quality, and handcrafted excellence,' says Jessica Chao, VP of Brand Marketing of Din Tai Fung North America. 'DTF's culinary approach is all about harmony in flavours and spotlighting quality ingredients.' But it's the famous Xiao Long Bao that most people come to eat. Xiao Long Bao, or XLB to regulars, are plump soup dumplings made individually by hand. The steamed dumplings feature a thin wrapper of dough with a soupy filling featuring premium Kurobuta pork that's closed at the top with precise pleats. At Din Tai Fung, that approach features a 'signature Golden Ratio' and exactly 18 folds. 'Our Xiao Long Bao is the heart of Din Tai Fung and the perfect expression of precision and artistry,' says Chao. 'What makes them so special is the meticulous care that goes into every step.' Each Xiao Long Bao weighs in at 21 grams for a perfect balance of dough, filling and broth. 'It's an art and science process that takes months to master, and the result is a dumpling that's both beautiful and delicious every time — an experience that keeps guests coming back again and again,' Chao explains. Born in Taipei as a family‑run restaurant in 1958, the popular eatery has since expanded to include locations in London, Dubai and New York. The new Vancouver restaurant is its first in Canada. Visiting during lunch service, the spacious restaurant was buzzing. Through the dining rooms and heated patio, few empty tables could be seen. And it didn't take long into our lunch service to understand why. This restaurant is seriously efficient. As parties arrived and departed around us, tables were bused and reset for the next guests almost instantly. Din Tai Fung is clearly a restaurant that can cater to busy business lunches, family outings and lingering Instagram foodies alike. Moments after sitting down, we were greeted by our smiling server who explained the paper ordering sheet we'd been given. Laminated menu cards were also available for a more thorough description of each dish. After placing our order — Din Tai Fung's menu is meant to be shared, so dishes are served family style — the food arrived quickly. We started our meal with the Cucumber Salad appetizer ($9.50), which featured Persian cucumbers combined with fresh garlic and mild Fresno chili peppers. The cucumbers are tossed with sesame oil and a signature Din Tai Fung chili oil. Salty, crunchy, oily and with a slight hint of spice, it was a fresh start to the meal. A nearby table ordered the Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs, which looked like a deliciously sticky serving of sauce-covered meat. That'll be on the must-try appetizer list for next time. The famous Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao ($19.50 for 10) came next, arriving in a bamboo steamer basket. Towers of similar baskets could be seen travelling around the restaurant as eagerly awaiting diners received their fresh-from-the-kitchen soup dumpling, steamed buns and dumplings. Sometimes, when you hear about a restaurant's best-known dish it fails to live up to its promise. That's not the case with these Xiao Long Bao. They are as good as anticipated, if not better. Warm and soft, the dumplings burst open with a gingery broth and savoury pork. The suggested soy sauce/vinegar mix, punctuated with a haystack bundle of thinly sliced ginger, was nice but by no means necessary, as the flavour of the Xiao Long Bao more than stand up alone. It required little stretch of the stomach to share the basket of ten between two diners. Shifting to noodles next, we ordered the thin, housemade egg noodles with sesame sauce ($14). Arriving as a nest of soft, stringy noodles in a slippery signature chili oil, the tangle came topped with crushed roasted peanuts and sliced scallions. The creamy sesame sauce had a kick of spice that countered the oiliness. Next time, I'll try another noodle dish. The Chicken Spicy Wontons ($18 for 8) were slippery and saucy with a nice, subtle meaty flavour and a not-too-spicy heat. Delicious in their own right, it would be hard for any dumpling or wonton to follow the XLB. Our table fairly fought over the last pillowy XLB, opting to pack these wontons up to enjoy later. The restaurant offers a variety of vegan-friendly dishes including Vegan Spicy Wontons ($18 for 8), Vegan Buns ($11 for 2), and more. There's also a robust selection of greens such as Bok Choy with Scallion-infused Oil ($17) and String Beans with Garlic ($18). We skipped them this time around (more room for dumplings), but will try on a future visit. The drinks menu includes a range of milk teas, iced teas, honey lemonade and more (boba is optional) along with soft drinks and sparkling water. A selection of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine and cocktails are is available. A top tip is to save some room for dessert. The Chocolate & Mochi Xiao Long Bao ($12.50) is divine. For true chocolate fans, the dish sees a chocolate truffle wrapped in a thin skin of mochi. We followed the recommendation of our server and got the salted cream on the side 'It's my favourite!' she exclaimed. The pillowy pockets of warm chocolate burst in your mouth, and the sea salt cream dip added an extra, subtly salty richness. So very, very good. Aharris@
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Din Tai Fung: A family's food and their humble road to a grand opening in Vancouver
Albert Yang hasn't seen the view from Quarry Rock or sampled the dumpling trail in Richmond since he arrived in Vancouver to open the new, 311-seat soup dumpling emporium, Din Tai Fung on Alberni Street, although he is keen to try both the view, and the local fare. 'It's been all work,' says Yang as he settles into a booth bearing a pot of oolong tea, and two cups. He wouldn't ask a staff member for it. In a family business, as in dumpling-making, you pitch in. His brother is here. His parents, too. Cousins are in town. They are behind the bar, training staff, and popping into the glass-enclosed dumpling kitchen that is the heart of the operation. Yang grew up a restaurant kid, doing homework at a Formica table, and taking orders as soon as he was tall enough to see over the counter at the Din Tai Fung that his parents opened in a strip mall in Arcadia, California, then a 'humble mom and pop shop.' He also learned the art of making Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings, but not until he was 12 and strong enough to roll the dough. 'Making dumplings is hard, physical work. It's very difficult,' says Yang. Din Tai Fung Vancouver, which opens May 5, is one of 171 worldwide, including spots in London, Manhattan and Dubai, and features Taiwanese dishes and, most importantly, the Xiao Long Bao his grandfather, Yang Bing Li first made to survive, and later, to his surprise, became famous for. Vancouver food lovers, no strangers to Asian cuisine, have been locked in on the arrival of DTF, arguing passionately on social media for the soul of the soup dumpling. Its 18-fold top, its gush of hot broth on first bite, is seen as a measure of skill, heritage and artistry. 'Xiao Long Bao is a traditional food,' says Yang. 'We feel a responsibility to carry that tradition forward.' But a restaurant is also about hospitality, said Yang, and creating an experience. Behind the scenes at Din Tai Fung, there have been weeks of dress rehearsals. The interior design, like a stage set, reflects the story it wants to tell: one that stays true its Taiwanese heritage but honours the west coast with a rock garden, and jewel green tones. Although Xiao Long Bao originated in Mainland China, Din Tai Fung's have a strong Taiwanese influence. 'They are a smaller in size compared to original versions found near Shanghai,' said Yang, 'and we are also known for the incredibly thin skin that doesn't break.' Yang's grandfather, Yang Bing Yi, was born in China's Shanxi province in 1927 but moved to Taiwan in 1948, where he took a job delivering cooking oil by bicycle. In 1970, as grocery stores began to pop up, the oil cooking oil business became obsolete. A friend suggested he sell some specialty items that Chinese immigrants in Taiwan longed for, like Xiao Long Bao. Yang Bing Li set up four tables in his shop, and the first Din Tai Fung restaurant was born. The business grew from one floor to five, and in 1993 was named one of the world's top 10 best restaurants by the New York Times. Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao has three components, all made from scratch at the restaurant: a soup stock, simmered overnight; pork ground fresh every morning; a dough made hourly, lest it dry out and become too stiff to work. The cooled broth is mixed with pork, ginger, green onion and sesame oil and nestled in a packet with 18 precise folds (18 is a lucky number in Chinese culture). The dough, rolled with a traditional dowel, must be thinner at the edges so it can be folded, and thicker at the centre so it can hold the soup. Dumpling trainees drape the dough over a special light box to learn how to get the exact thickness. 'It is that difficult, and that simple,' said Yang. In the dumpling room, 40 dumpling makers are at work. 'It's a very skilled position,' said Yang. The dumpling trainers have been in Vancouver for months, working with the staff. Yang, who was born in Taiwan, and whose father helped grow the Din Tai Fung empire, remembers the original shop in Taipei, with the narrow staircase to the top floor, and the hospitality his grandfather, who died in 2023, showed to every guest. 'In Taiwan at that time there were no elevators, so he carried a disabled guest on his back up that tiny little staircase so he could dine with his friends. It shows the humility and dedication he had, and his ethic about treating our guests like family.' You might not have to get your own tea, or make your own dumplings, and yes, there is an elevator, but if they get it right, Yang hopes you will feel like part of the family. dryan@ Din Tai Fung's long-awaited Vancouver restaurant to hire 300 people Restaurant review: For those who insist on great pasta check out Cantina di Luigi
Vancouver Sun
04-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Din Tai Fung: A family's food and their humble road to a grand opening in Vancouver
Article content Yang Bing Li set up four tables in his shop, and the first Din Tai Fung restaurant was born. Article content The business grew from one floor to five, and in 1993 was named one of the world's top 10 best restaurants by the New York Times. Article content Din Tai Fung's Xiao Long Bao has three components, all made from scratch at the restaurant: a soup stock, simmered overnight; pork ground fresh every morning; a dough made hourly, lest it dry out and become too stiff to work. Article content The cooled broth is mixed with pork, ginger, green onion and sesame oil and nestled in a packet with 18 precise folds (18 is a lucky number in Chinese culture). Article content The dough, rolled with a traditional dowel, must be thinner at the edges so it can be folded, and thicker at the centre so it can hold the soup. Dumpling trainees drape the dough over a special light box to learn how to get the exact thickness. Article content 'It is that difficult, and that simple,' said Yang. Article content Article content Yang, who was born in Taiwan, and whose father helped grow the Din Tai Fung empire, remembers the original shop in Taipei, with the narrow staircase to the top floor, and the hospitality his grandfather, who died in 2023, showed to every guest. Article content 'In Taiwan at that time there were no elevators, so he carried a disabled guest on his back up that tiny little staircase so he could dine with his friends. It shows the humility and dedication he had, and his ethic about treating our guests like family.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
